Pencil pointer



E. YONDORF July 1, 1947.

PENCIL POINTER [Hz/E171 UP Filed Dec. 18, 1945 Emil Yczn Ear! 'A/Zgs fiatentecl July 1 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT orifice 11 Claims.

My invention relates to devices for sharpening pencils, and more particularly to means for sharpening the lead point of a pencil after the Wood has been tapered by a knife or machine in the direction of the lead.

The sharpening of a pencil in the usual manner, or with the aid of a sharpening machine does not suffice for pencils used by designers and engineers for producing fine lines, lettering or other detail. A long and accuratel trimmedpoint is essential in such cases, but is rarely obtainable on the conventional sandpaper pad because of the inaccurate manipulation or hold of the pencil. It is therefore one object of the present invention to provide a pointing device which furnishes a rest for the pencil as it is drawn across a sandpaper sheet.

A further object of the invention is to provide a guide for the setting of the pencil point immediately adjoining the sandpaper sheet and movable with the pencil as the same is drawn across the sheet.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a guide of the above character which contains apertures for more than one size of point, in order to check the advance of the pencil lead eyond the proper limit.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pencil rest which is adjustable vertically according to the proper angle at which the pencil should be held for the sharpening operation.

An additional object of the invention is to form the pointer in the nature of a light woodenstick, and provide the same with dilierent grades of sandpaper on both sides.

An important object of the invention is to construct the same along lines of neatness and simplicity.

With the above objects in view and any others which may suggest themselves from the description to follow, a better understanding of the invention may be had by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a top plan view pointer, partly broken away;

Fig. 2 is a side view, partly broken away;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the more important part of the device, and on a larger scale; and

Fig. 4 is a right-hand end view of Fig.3.

In accordance with the foregoing, specific reference to the drawing indicates the device to be in the form of a flat wooden stick H! which is elongated at l l to form a handle. Although the handle may be of a curved or other conventional of the novel pencil type, I have preferred to make the same of rectangular cross-section in order to afford a better grip.

The main portion In of the device is formed with a longitudinal undercut or inverted-T channel I2 in its top surface, such channel extending along a course nearer to one side edge I3 of the stick Ill. The top surface H of the latter which is remote from the side edge l3 receives a sheet 15 of sandpaper, such sheet being slotted in its ends as indicated at Hi to be insertible under the heads I! of a pair of screws l8 directed through the corresponding portion of the stick. The screws may of course be tightened in order to firml secure the sandpaper sheet.

The narrower surface 19 of the stick alongside the channel 12 is at a lower elevation than the surface l4; and the surface I9 receives a wooden strip 20 along its edge [3. Such strip extends longitudinally and contains a pair of vertical slots 2| near the ends. A pair of screws 22 provided with washers 23 are directed into the stick ID by way of the slots 2| to secure the strip 20 to the same. The strip is therefore vertically adjustable in relation to the stick; and the surface [9 offers a clearance for adjusting the angle of the pencil.

The channel I2 receives a slide 24 of inverted-T form, such slide rising above the top of the stick Ill. The upper portion of the slide has a pair of circular apertures 25 and 26, these being of different sizes. While the slide may be of wood or like material, it is preferable that it be made 7 of a plastic material for more durability. The slide is prevented from moving out of the outer end of the channel [2 by a suitable stop, such as a tack 21 driven into a side wall of the channel.

The screws l8, while primarily intended to secure the upper sandpaper sheet l3, are also intended to secure a similar bottom sheet 28, applied to the under side of the stick. Thus, nuts 29 for the screws l8 secure the bottom sheet in place. Such sheet may have a rough texture for the preliminary sharpening of the wood or lead of the pencil, while the top sheet l3 has a finer texture for shaping and sharpening the point.

In the use of the device, th pencil is applied crosswise over the stick with its tapered wood portion over the strip 20 and the lead passing through one of the apertures 25 or 26 to a position over the sandpaper sheet i3. Now, the pencil is drawn from one end portion of the sheet to the other and back, and rotated to some extent at the same time. Primarily, the strip 20 form a rest for the body of the pencil, so that its course may be even during the pencil pointing movements; and the passing of the point through the slide 24 fixes the extent to which the lead projects, so that the tapered wood portion of the pencil will not contact the sandpaper sheet and become blackened thereby. Thus, only the lead will be exposed to the surface of the sandpaper; and the choice of aperture for passing the lead through the slide 24 will depend on the thickness of the lead. Thus, the angle of the pencil and the extent to which it is projected becomes certain. Finally, the device eliminates the unsteady and wavering movements usually incident to the pointing of a pencil by hand and the inevitable blackening of the tapered wood portion, insuring a ered most efficient for the type of work contemplated.

While I have described the invention along specific lines, various minor changes or refinements may be made therein without departing from its principle, one such change being to substitute files for the sandpaper sheets; and I desire to consider such changes and refinements as coming within the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

I claim:

1-. A pencil pointer comprising an elongated base, an abrasive sheet on the latter inwardly of one side edge, and a guide along the other edge for resting the body of the pencil when its lead is positioned transversely over said abrasive sheet, said? guide being a strip which is vertically adjustable.

2. A pencil pointer comprising an elongated base, an abrasive sheet on the latter inwardly of one side edge, and a guide along the other edge for resting-the body of the pencil when its lead ispositioned transversely over said abrasive sheet, said guide comprising a near its ends, and screws passing through said slots into the base, the strip being adjustable in heightalong the screws, and external heads of these designed to clamp the strip to the base at the adjusted heighta 3; A pencil pointer comprising an elongated base, an abrasive sheet on the latter inwardly of one side edge, and a guide along the other edge forresting the body of the pencil when its lead is positioned transversely over said abrasive sheet, asecond abrasive sheet underneath the base, and means to secure both sheets to-the same.

4. A pencil pointer comprising an elongated base, an abrasive sheet on the latter inwardly of one side edge, and a sage of the lead from a pencil pointed crosswise of said base no further than the wooden portion back of the lead, locating the latter over said surface.

5. A pencil pointer comprising an elongated base, an abrasive sheet on the latter inwardly of one side edge, and a retainer permitting the passage of the lead from a pencil pointed crosswise of said base no further than the. wooden portion back of the lead, locating the latter over said surface, said. retainer being movable lengthwise of the base when the pencil is so applied.

6. A pencil pointer comprising an elongated base, an abrasive sheet on the latter inwardly of one side edge, and a retainer. permitting the passage of the lead from a pencil. pointed crosswise of saidbase no further than the wooden portion strip having vertical slots.

retainer permitting the paspoint which is neat and considback of the lead, locating the latter over said surface, said retainer being a slide operable lengthwise of the base.

7. A pencil pointer base, an abrasive sheet on the latter one side edge, and a retainer permitting the passage of the lead from a pencil pointed crosswise of said base no further than the wooden portion back of the lead, locating the latter over said surface, said base being longitudinally channeled along the inner edge of said sheet, and said retainer comprising a slide operable in the base channel.

8. A pencil pointer comprising an elongated base, an abrasive sheet on the latter inwardly of one side edge, and a retainer permitting the passage of the lead from a pencil pointed crosswise of said base no further than the wooden portion back of the lead, locating the latter over said surface, said base being formed with a longitucomprising an elongated dinal inverted T-shaped channel along the inner edge of said sheet, and said retainer comprising a slide having the cross-section of the channel and operable therein.

9. A pencil pointer comprising an elongated base, an abrasive sheet on the latter inwardly of one side edge, and a retainer permitting the passage of the lead from a pencil pointed crosswise of said base no furtherthan the wooden portion back of the lead, locating the latter over said surface, said base being longitudinally channeled along the inner edge of said sheet, and said retainer comprising a slide operable in the base channel, such slide havin an aperture for the passage of said lead.

10'. A pencil pointer comprising an elongated base, an abrasive sheet on the latter inwardly of one side edge, and a retainer permitting the passage of the lead from a pencil pointed crosswise of said base no further than the wooden portion back of the lead, locating the latter over said surface, said base being longitudinally channeled along the inner edge of said sheet, and said. retainer comprising a slide operable in the base channel, such slide having difierent-sized apertures for the selective passage of leads of different thickness.

11. A pencil pointer comprising an elongated base, an abrasive sheet on the latter inwardly of one side edge, and a retainer permitting the passage or the lead from a pencil pointed crosswise of said base no further than the wooden portion back of the lead, locating the latter over said surface, said base being longitudinally channeled along the inner edge of said sheet, said retainer comprising. a slide operable in the base channel, such slide. having. different-sized apertures for the selective passage of leads of different thickness, and the basesuriace inwardly of the other side edge being depressed to clear said wooden portion on the passage of said lead.

EMIL YONDORF.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PA'I'nNIS Number Name Date 2,378,287 Crownfield June 12', 1945 51,845. MacMullen Jan. 2, 1866 inwardly of I 

